Tom Cruise’s Divisive $262M Satirical Action Comedy Becomes Streaming Hit 15 Years Later

Knight and Day has finally seen the light of day on streaming by becoming a hit. Directed by James Mangold, the 2010 satirical action comedy stars Tom Cruise as an eccentric secret agent who gets tangled up with a classic car restorer (played by Cameron Diaz) while on the run from the CIA.

With Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise in the lead roles, the two reuniting after Vanilla Sky (2001), the cast also includes two-time Emmy nominee Peter Sarsgaard (Dopesick, Presumed Innocent), Jordi Mollà, Oscar winner Viola Davis (Fences), Paul Dano, Falk Hentschel, Marc Blucas, Maggie Grace, Dale Dye, Celia Weston, and Gal Gadot.

Now, 15 years after its release, Knight and Day ranks 10th on Prime Video’s Top 10 movies in the United States for today, October 8, and is expected to climb the chart in the coming days. It ranks below Play Dirty, No Time to Die, A Working Man, Diablo, Queen of Bones, Casino Royale, Love Hurts, Tremors, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Knight and Day is also streaming on Hulu, and for free on Tubi.

Knight and Day was quite divisive at the time of its release ​​​​​​in 2010, indicated by its 51% and 49% scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Knight and Day‘s reviews were mixed, criticizing it for sticking too closely to the action-comedy formula, but recognizing that it coasts along on its lively energy and irresistible chemistry between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.

Despite this, Knight and Day performed decently at the box office for one of Cruise’s non-franchise films, making $262 million against its $117 million budget. However, Knight and Day isn’t a typical Tom Cruise action movie, which is perhaps why it was divisive. It’s a comedy that satirizes Cruise’s action persona that he plays in Mission: Impossible and other movies.

Knight and Day playfully parodies Cruise’s own action-hero image, turning his usual unflappable persona charmingly unhinged. He exaggerates the fearless daredevil persona that he perfected in Mission: Impossible, but here, the stunts are delivered with a wink. The movie blurs the line between genuine action and self-aware spoof, allowing Cruise to both celebrate and satirize his own action persona.


Diaz and Cruise in Knight & Day
Diaz and Cruise in Knight & Day

While Knight and Day may have been divisive at the time of its release in 2010, it should be watched today through the lens that it’s a satirical take on Cruise’s action persona, and it will be a lot more enjoyable.

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